Derail lock



Dec. 19, 1922.

1,439,371 H. B. LEEDY,

DERAIL LocK. muss JUNE 27. I921.

' INVENTOR. O V [Mir :5? [1570) N BY ATTORN YS.

Patented Dec. 19, 1%22.

t a" s; n

nanny B. manner PENDLETQN, censors;

DERAIL LOCK.

Application filed June 27,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY B. Lnnov, a citizen of the United States, residing atlendleton, in the county of Umatilla and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Derail Locks, of which the ,followingis a specification.

This invention relates to railroad safety appliances and has for its object to provide a means to look a derail in the open position until a car or train is safely past the derail.

A further object: of the invention is to provide a means to lock anopen derail until the train is safely past and hence to prevent the derail being thoughtlessly thrown'under a car and derailing it with damage to the car and a possible loss of life.

A further object. of the invention is to provide a means for locking an open derai that is automatic inits operation thus eliininatingthe human element. 1

A further object of the invention is to provide a means for lockinga derail open which is simple to construct and install and which is highly eflicient in operation.

lVith these and other objects in view reference is now had to the acconipanvine,

drawings in-which Fig. l is a plan view of a portion of a rail road showing the device installed;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of a derail in a closed position; v

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4; is an enlarged plan view of a derail in an open position;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of Fig. 4;;

vice;

Fig. 7 is a front sectional view of the bar and yielding crank hinge; and

Fig. 8 is a front sectional view of a plain crank hinge.

Having reference to the drawings like numerals refer to like parts throughout and the numeral 1 refers to a rail road consisting in part of a main track'Q, a passing track 3, a switch head 4- which is of the usual type, and otherparts which will be designated by numerals as the description proceeds.

,The passing track 8 consists of a tangent 5, an outer curved rail 6 and an inner curved rail 7. the curved rails forming a juncture with the main track by the proper throwing Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the de- 1921. eel-in 110.480528.

of the switch 8 which is here shown closed againstthe passing track/ V In mountainous districts, where passing tracks are requirech it has been found necessaryto provide a means to prev lit a ear or train backing by gravity out through" the switch 8 and onto the main track 2, and the n'ost practical device in use is the derail 9 (here shown closed) which is positioned ordinarily at the beginning of the curved railfi as at this point the flange of the wheel 10 bears against the rail as itleaves the tangent and changes direction and hence is loss liable to strike against an open derail 11 with possible damage.

The derail is connected to and operable by means of the switch through the switch rod 12, the connecting rod 13, the rod 1%, and the bell cranks- 15, so that op eningthe switch onto the passing track dpens the derail and provides a clear track for the train. This type of derail isterined a mechanically operated derail, andbeing in general use no further description as to its specific operation is deemed necessary. 4

As soon as the train passes fully onto the tangentthe switch is thrown to clear the main track and the derail is closed, hence should a car or train start, hacking the wheel would strike against the derail, which as. its name implies would derail the train, and the derailment wouldoccnr on the side of the track away from the main line due to the location of the derail vhich is at the beginning of the curve. I

As the derail is approximately yards from the switch. head, and as the switch must remain open untilthe last wl eels of the last carhas passed the open derail, and

as there is a tendency on the part of the switchman to close the switch thatheniay catch the rear end of the train before it has gone far this being the usual custom in level 7 parts of the country which predominates, it is obviously necessary to maintain the derail in the open position until thelast car passes which is accomplished by my derail lock consisting of a bar 16 positioned parallel. and adjacent to the rail 6, with one;

sisting of a plate 20, which may be suitably spiked or otherwise fastened to a tie 21, having a pair of uprights 22 in which is rotatably mounted. a crank 28, which in turn rotatably engages the bar 16, as plainly shown in F 1g.

To restore the bar to its normal position one or more of the crank hinges is provided with a spring 2 1-, shown in Fig. 7 in which case a top 25 isprovided to protect the spring from dirt or other matter that might obstruct its movement.

As it is deemed best to have the bar 16 operate in one direction at all times regardless of the direction in which the train is moving I have provided an auxiliary bar 26 having curved ends 27 wherewith to receive'the impact of the wheel gradually, and this auxiliary bar while moving in one direction will impart a contrary motion to the bar 16 by means of the toggle 28 and the cross bar 29. The auxiliary bar is attached to the ties in a similar manner to that of the bar 16.

It will now be seen that with the switch 8.

opened to the passing track 8 the train will pass onto the curved rails 6 and 7 and the flange of the wheel 10 will engage and depress the bar 16 until the end 1'? closes down against the derail 11 which has been opened by the throwing of the switch. The derall now must remain in the open position until the train has passed the derail when the switch may be closed.

Now when a train is to back down onto the main track the switch is opened, the derail opening with it, and the first wheel of the train engages the auxiliary bar 26 which is depressed and which now depresses the bar 16, after which the wheels resting on the; bar 16 maintains it in the depressed position locking the derail as before.

Havin thus described my invention, I claim 1 1. In a derail lock, in combination with a derail, an automatic locking means operable by means of a train in the direction of and to rest upon an open derail.

2. In a derail lock, the combination of a derail and an automatic locking means consisting of a depressible bar, mounted adjacent to one rail of a rail road, and positioned to engage the open derail when said bar is depressed, and an auxiliary bar operably attached to said bar. s

3. In a derail lock, the combination of a derail and an automatic lock consisting of a depressible bar mounted parallel and adjacent to one rail of a rail road, and positioned to engage the open derail when said bar is depressed, crank hinges yieldingly attached to and supporting said bar, and an auxiliary bar operably attached to said rail road adjacent to the other rail thereof, and means to operably unitesaid auxiliary bar and said bar.

4. In a derail lock, the combination of a derail and an automatic lock consisting of a depressible bar, yieldingly and hingedly attached to a railroad and positioned parallel and adjacent to one rail thereof, with one of its ends resting normally within en gageable proximity to said derail, an auxiliary bar positioned opposite to said derail, and means to operably unite said auxiliary bar and said bar.

, 5. In a derail lock, the combination of a derail and automatic lock consisting of a depressible bar positioned parallel to one rail of a rail road and adjacent to said derail, a plurality of yielding crank hinges rotatably attached. to said bar to maintain a uniformly horizontal position thereto, and

an auxiliary bar connected to, operable with,

and positioned opposite to said bar. In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HARRY B. LEEDY. 

